The Jets yesterday signed journeyman quarterback Todd Husak as insurance, though they’re still uncomfortable with their backup situation behind Vinny Testaverde.

Husak spent time with the Jets last year, but did not play.

Rookie QB Brooks Bollinger (bruised left knee) will not play against the Eagles in Thursday night’s preseason finale, though he’s expected to be the No. 2 QB for the season opener in Washington.

Offensive coordinator Paul Hackett made it sound as if he’s so nervous about going into the year with Bollinger at No. 2 that the team will continue to seek a proven veteran.

“I don’t want to say it’s irresponsible, but I think it’s extremely difficult to put Bollinger at No. 2 for a playoff-contending team,” Hackett said yesterday. “I am concerned about that. We thought he had No. 2 type potential, but we sure as hell didn’t think he’d be ready for that after five weeks.”

* As if potentially losing his entire season to the grisly broken wrist wasn’t traumatic enough for Chad Pennington, his father-in-law died Sunday after a long illness just one day after Pennington suffered his injury and underwent immediate surgery.

Herman Edwards said yesterday that he spoke with Pennington a couple of times on Monday, saying, “Obviously, he’s disappointed in what happened. He’s so much of a team guy he wants to make sure team’s all right.

“I told him, ‘We’ll be fine. Don’t feel bad for us; we feel bad for you.’ That’s the kind of kid he is.”

Edwards said Pennington is out of the hospital, but not home on Long Island, indicating that he’ll rejoin the team next week.

“When he gets here, he gets here,” Edwards said. “He’s with his wife [Robin]. They have some matters they’re dealing with.”

* Hackett was greeted with a special telephone message when he arrived to work yesterday morning.

“Hey, Hackett, I hope you learned something last year,” the caller ranted. “Testaverde can’t run the West Coast offense. Get yourself a new offense.”

“Then the guy hung up; that was my morning,” Hackett said jokingly.

* Talk about a jinx. Sports Illustrated writer Michael Silver first reported and wrote a story on Atlanta QB Michael Vick that was scheduled to be the cover of the magazine’s NFL preview issue. When Vick broke his ankle, Silver was dispatched to Weeb Ewbank Hall to write Pennington as the cover piece. You know the rest.